Scientific publishing is the engine of scientific progress, the claimed guardian of integrity, and a powerful gatekeeper of scientific careers. Yet this engine is under strain. In an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving scientific landscape, do our publishing models still strengthen science – or are they distorting it? Is anonymous peer review still the best safeguard of quality, or has it become an obstacle to accountability and innovation? When publication in a few high-impact journals can define success, can commercially driven, highly profitable publishers truly serve the interests of science? This discussion will confront these tensions and ask what structural changes are needed to create a publishing ecosystem that rewards rigor, openness, and the most meaningful scientific work.

Moderator: Thomas Perlmann